Blind
by Linda-previouslyMissyMaura
Summary: It takes something big to unite lost friends. Second chapter now up! Set in the future...it will all become clear as you read.
1. Chapter 1

Hi, this is my new fic. Hope you like it.

I own 98 of the characters in this fic but the other 2 aren't mine, but I have my urn (go to ERHQ if you want to learn about the urn. If not, don't cry. lol)

* * *

"Hey dad, I'm going now."

"Bye sweetie, have a good day." He waved at her from the bathroom door, wrapped in a towel.

"Dad, I'm off."

"Nik, please be careful!"

"Hush, I'll be fine." Nik laughed and ran out the door after his sister. "Jana, wait up!"

"I'm not missing the bus for you Nik." She yelled without turning or slowing down, her ebony hair fanning out behind her as she power walked down the street.

"Ok, ok, just don't leave without me." He jogged up behind her and poked her rib.

"Nik!" Jana shrieked as the bus pulled up, full of school kids. As soon as they'd showed their passes to the driver the twins separated- Jana rushed to the seat next to her friend as Nik hurled himself to the back next to the group of noisy boys.

* * *

"But Miss, Nik was annoying me!"

"I don't care Miss Kovac, speaking when I am gets you moved for a week. See if you can keep quiet and you can move back. Please sit at the table next to Josie." Jana hitched her bag up and sighed, moving quickly to the empty desk and throwing herself down. Bekka and Nicole bit their lips and pouted at the separation of their unbreakable trio.

"Today we're going to be learning about the heart and circulatory system. Can any tell me how many sections a heart has?"

"Room 66?"

"No, that's incorr…oh, hello." Miss Curtis span round and beamed at the door. "New student?"

"Erm, yes- my name's Lanie Malone. Principal Snipes sent me to room 66. Am I in the right place?"

"You are indeed. This is room 66, Biology. I'm Miss Curtis, if you could sit yourself…" She scanned the room, noting the aversion of eyes and clucked. "…next to Nicole and Rebekka." The sighs were audible as The New Girl made her way to the back of the room. "We are currently studying the heart and circulatory system. Have you covered this in your old school?"

"Yes I have."

"Then you'll know how many chambers the heart has?"

"4-two atria, two ventricles."

"Thank you Miss…"

"Malone. Lanie Malone."

Miss Curtis nodded and moved to the board, her pen dancing out the words across the large expanse of white board. This type of student would go far…

"Lanie, that's a weird name." Nicole snorted quietly and Bekka laughed. "She smells funny."

"I bet she lived on a farm. She looks the type to love horses." They both peered at her and snorted again, "Look how she's set her pens out in little rows. Who does she think she's impressing?" Bekka rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat, twirling a curl around her pinkie as Nicole pulled a tube of lip-gloss out her bag and slouched to apply it.

Finally the bell rang out and Miss Curtis slotted the pen into the holder then turned.

"You may pack up. Can I speak with you Miss Malone….and Miss Kovac- a need a word please." The two girls nodded and swept their belongings into bags or arms as the rest of the class bustled past them, sniggering or casting pitying glances in their direction.

"Iljana, I really can't understand your behaviour recently." Miss Curtis began, glaring at the young girl in front of her. "Talking in class, messing around, late homework. You used to have such potential."

"I'm sorry Miss."

"Miss Malone has been here less than a day, and she's already behaving better than you! Take a leaf out of her book. You can leave." Jana scowled and dashed out, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Now Lanie, I need to find out what subjects you've covered."

"We had just started heart and circulatory system when I left. We did genes before that."

"Ah, perfect- you appear to be in the same place as this class. Don't let them put you off working- you seem bright."

"Thank you. May I leave?"

"Yes, goodbye." The girl hitched her bag onto a slender shoulder and hurried out.

* * *

"Mom, it was awful! I hate it!"

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad." Her mom replied, absent mindedly.

"It was though! Really bad! Biology was dire- the two girls I was sat next to were discussing how I smelt." Lanie threw herself into an armchair and sighed. "I'm not going back."

"It'll get better sweetie." Her mom stroked her hair softly and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I promise it'll get better."

"So how was work?"

"Not bad, it's nice to be back on the treadmill."

"And Poppy? How'd she take it?"

"Oh, you know- she screamed the place down but once she spotted the Lego she was fine."

"Good. Was day care nice?"

"Yeah, there are about 10 other kids there and they all looked happy. The manager is called Anna." Lanie nodded and pulled herself out the chair.

"When's dinner?"

"Soon- Can you walk down to the store for me? Blake's gone to a friend's who lives next door…plus I need some milk."

"Okay." She pulled on her sneakers and shut the door behind her, got her bearings and set off towards the store.

"Excuse me?" She suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned, surprised. "You dropped this." The girl held out a small heart key ring.

"Oh, thanks." Lanie smiled and took the key ring, shoving it into her back pocket.

"Do I know you?" The girl frowned, "Lanie Malone?" Lanie nodded, frowning too. "I'm Jana…Iljana Kovac. You're in my biology class."

"Oh, hi." Lanie smiled broader, remembering the girl as the one being told off earlier. "Well…I better be off. I have to pick my brother up and get some milk."

"You're going to the store? Mind if I walk with you-I'm on my way there too."

"No, sure." After a few minutes of silence Jana spoke.

"I'm not normally naughty in school."

"And I'm not normally so swotty. I just know some stuff about the body- my mom's a doctor."

"Really? Cool. My dad's a doctor over at Hope…the other side of town."

"Ah, my mom's at Kingdom. She likes it apparently." The two girls smiled at each other.

"There's SuperMart- where you picking your brother up from?"

"Next door," Lanie peered at the house either side of the shop and spotted a small boy running out of one. "There he is- BLAKE!" He looked over and waved, then ran across the road.

"Blake! What did mom say bout running across the street without looking?"

"Ahhh, Lanie! Stop being such a bore. There aren't any cars here, like there weren't any back home." The little boy scowled at his sister who rolled her eyes.

"Sorry Jana, I'd better be off. Come on Blake, mom needs milk and then we gotta get home." Jana waved as they crossed over and she carried on walking round to Bekka's.

* * *

Reeeeeeeeeeview.

Oh look the button was talking to you. It loves you.


	2. Chapter 2

Here's the second chapter. hope you like :D

* * *

"Seriously, she's actually quite nice."

"Shut up Jana, she's a hick!" Nicole sneered at her friend and returned to braiding Bekka's hair.

"She's not Nic, she's really sweet. She has a little brother called Blake and her mom's a doctor."

"Oooooooh, what are you; her stalker? Watch out Alana, Iljana's out to get you."

"Shut up. And her name's Lanie, not Alana." Jana said quietly, picking at her nails.

"I don't care, she's weird. Come on Bekka, let's go and meet Ryan." Nicole stood up and brushed down her skirt. "Laters Jana." The two girls hurried out of the room, but not before Bekka could throw a sympathetic glance in Jana's direction.

Trailing down the stairs, Bekka's mom waved as she opened the door.

"Thanks for having me, Mrs Conaway."

"Bye Iljana, see you soon." She jogged home, not caring her braids were coming loose, or her shoes were all wrong for running in.

"Is everything ok Jan?" Her dad peered out of the kitchen as she exploded through the door. She'd forgotten his shift ended at 8.

"Erm…yeah." He caught her arm as she rushed past and she stopped.

"What happened? You were meant to be staying at Bekka's. Have you fallen out?"

"You could say that." She mumbled. "There's this new girl in school called Lanie Malone. I have biology with her. Nicole and Bekka…kinda don't like her. They said she's a hick, but she's not. I met her walking to Bekka's and she's really sweet. Her mom is a doctor over at Kingdom."

"And you fell out about it?" Luka shook his head. "You girls confuse me. It's times like these I wish…" He stopped and looked away.

"You wish mom was still here?" He nodded slowly and turned back.

"Look-don't worry about them. They'll come to their senses."

"Hope so." Jana shrugged her father's hand away and walked into her room.

"I understand her less every day Pa." Nik said from the couch.

"Can't you do that weird twin thing…find out if she's really ok?"

"Invasion of privacy…plus everything I find out is confidential." Nik laughed and slouched further down the seat to read his book while Luka rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Never be a lawyer Niko, please!"

* * *

"But Mom! I hate rice!"

"Blake, I swear I'm gonna…"

"Lanie, mom's gonna swear."

"Mom, not in front of Poppy!"

"I wasn't going to swear. Just eat it Blake, and stop whining."

"But Lanie doesn't have to!"

"That's cos I'm allergic, doorknob."

"Ok, quit it you guys!" Maggie held up a hand. "Blake, eat your rice. Abby, don't swear. Lanie, chill."

"Thanks Gramma." Lanie said handing her a plate. "Sometimes these two are more like the kids than I am!"

"Hey." Abby squeaked, laughing, "I'm not as bad as Blake."

"Aren't you all glad I'm here?"

The rest of the meal went without a hitch as they chatted about the respective days.

"Cody is the coolest! He's an only child and his mom bought him an Xbox for going to school without a fuss last week. His dad is an oil digger so he doesn't live at home."

"Well, I met loads of new people at school. I think I like English best." Lanie chewed on a carrot and smiled.

"Well I finished my sweater today, and started on a dress for Lanie."

"And I delivered six babies today- four boys, two girls. Jamie, Michael, Todd, Lee, Torie and an undecided." Abby smiled at her collective family, sat around the table. "And Poppy spent the day playing with Lego, didn't you Pops."

"Yeah." She squealed, flinging a spoonful of rice over her shoulder. "Oops." Her bottom lip wobbled but Lanie quickly scooped up the food and planted a kiss on the little girl's head.

"I'll wash up tonight." Maggie said, and pulled Blake into the kitchen to dry.

"I'll go and give Poppy a bath."

"And I'll do my homework." Lanie added, gathering up her books.

* * *

Nik slammed the door and threw himself on the bed. He couldn't stop thinking about the girl he'd seen earlier; her whole demeanour had intrigued him.

He'd been waiting for the bus when he first saw her, sitting two metres away reading a book. Her tawny hair fell in a curtain around her face and hid her from sight. He had been in a detention but she didn't look the type to be in trouble. When the bus came she closed the book and tucked it into her bag while he hopped onto the vehicle. Once seated he watched her as she too chose a seat, her hazel eyes scanning the seats and finding most were full.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" She asked, gesturing to the seat next to Nik. He gulped and nodded, pulling his bag onto his lap. She sat down, placing her bag on the floor then sitting back. A rush of vanilla musk washed over Nik and he breathed it in softly.

He was almost sad when his stop neared but as he reached to press the bell, her slim hand flicked out and pressed the button too. They got off together and he smiled as she walked away, a gentle flicker passing her lips also. She walked a mere four steps ahead for at least five minutes before he turned right and she kept going.

Nik hoped she hadn't continued much further, his morning run might cross their paths if he was lucky. But he still didn't know her name.

Suddenly he heard Jana's voice and the front door shut.

"Hey Jan, what's…" He stopped as he came face-to-face with Bus Girl. "Erm…yeah…right."

"Nik…you were saying?"

"What's for dinner?" He murmured, ripping his eyes away from her.

"Stew, I think. Do you mind if Lanie stays for dinner? Her mom's working and her grandmother's taken the two little ones out."

"That's fine. Want me to reheat it?" The more he spoke, the easier it got. Jana nodded and moved to the fridge.

"Lanie, this is my brother Niko. Nik, this is Lanie Malone."

"Hi," Nik held out a hand and she smiled and shook it.

"Hiya." Her hand was cool and she had a cute ring on her pinkie.

"Come on Lanie, let's go to my room." Jana grabbed two cans of coke and forcefully dragged Lanie away.

* * *

"Omg Jana, you never said you had such a cute brother!"

"Ew! He's disgusting." Jana laughed and handed a can to Lanie, who took it dreamily.

"Seriously, he has such adorable eyes."

"Seriously, stop talking about him! I'm gonna puke! Right, that report- what shall we do it on?"

"It can be any mental disorder…right?"

"Yep, any. Let's find something interesting." Jana flicked open the biology book and scanned the chapter.

"What about bipolar disorder?" Lanie asked quietly, sipping a little coke in the silence.

"Is that the one…"

"Where the person experiences severe manic and depressive mood swings. It's controlled by drugs mainly."

"Sounds scary."

"It is."

"How do you know so much about it?" Before Lanie could answer, the sound of the door closing made Jana jump up.

"That'll be my dad. I'll check you're allowed to stay."

"You didn't ask? Jana!"

"He'll be fine. He likes us having friend's over." Jana hurried out and ambushed her father. "Hi dad."

"What do you want?" He said, chuckling.

"Can Lanie stay for dinner?" He looked up and smiled

"Sure. Hi Lanie, I'm Luka." She reached and shook his hand.

There was something about her that made Luka's mind whir. Something in her eyes seemed…familiar. Something about that smile, the way she held herself was recognizable.

But who did she look like…?

* * *


End file.
